17th of December 2013.
08:00pm.

Silence descended on the kitchen with a breathtaking speed.

Fredo scanned the damage. The marble counter was littered with flour,several used bowls, an open butter, a yolk covered whisk,a spatula and several opened packets of sugar.

Kelsia's face was covered with flour,a smear of chocolate stained her right chin and in one hand she held a star-shaped cookie.

Her expression was alarmed, her eyes fixed on Fredo,but his argument was not with his daughter.

It was with the flushed green eyed blonde who held a tray filled with cookies in different shapes,her hands encased in oven mittens shaped like Randolph's head. Kate's hair was also stained with flour,same thing with the sweater.

His sweater. He noted with a frown.

The laughter he heard earlier was long gone from their faces. She looked softer and warmer and was without a doubt the most alluring woman he ever found in his kitchen. Fredo clamped down on his inappropriate response before it, too,could get out of hand.

"I believe I asked you what was going on." He repeated coolly.

Kate glanced around the kitchen,then summoned a defiant smile. "Baking Christmas cookies." She declared, then squared her shoulders.

There was a glint in those marvelous eyes that told Fredo that was ready to hold her ground and was apparently ready to fight for what she thought was right.

But Kate Donovan was dead wrong.

And he was going to make sure she understood that,right now.

"We don't bake Christmas cookies,much less celebrate it here," his tone was glacial. "Period."

A frown flickered across Kate's brow. "What's wrong with celebrating Christmas and baking cookies? I was even waiting for you to come back so that we could discuss about a tree. Since it's obvious that you don't have time to do so."

"I spend my time on things that matter," he retorted. "And spending time searching for tree's, isn't one of them?" He glared at her,willing her to take his word without an argument.

But Kate was not going to simply let it go.

"How can you say that?" She dropped the tray on the counter with a bang. "Do you realise that Christmas is supposed to be about celebrating? What happened to Christmas Carol's, hot cocoa's, Decorating trees and leaving socks for Santa?"

"We have one rule in this house,Miss know-it-all," he said icily. "We don't celebrate Christmas."

"That's cruel!" Kate propped her hands on her hips,eyes flashing. But she dropped her hands back to her sides immediately,when he shoulder protested about the abuse it was subjected to all day.

Fredo had to admire how she stuck to her guns. He folded his arms across his chest and summoned the fiercest glare he could muster.

Kate advanced on him,undeterred. "Mr Oliveira, I have to disagree with you on this. Surely there's no harm in enjoying the spirit of the season..."

"There is harm,plenty of it. "Kate took a deep breath to rein in her temper. "Christmas is for children, Mr. Oliveira,it's a magical time of the year. Kelsia should enjoy this season, since it happens only once in a year. Have you ever stopped to think about how she feels?

"Why taint her memory of Christmas with yours? Do you want her to grow up hating you?"

"Kelsia go to your room,now!" He barked.

Kate saw the tears in Kelsia's eyes before she ran out of the kitchen,leaving trails of flour in her wake.

"Why can't you be a little bit nice to your daughter?"

"First of all, I don't appreciate you contradicting me in front of Kelsia. And secondly,I only asked you to stay till you've recovered,not chat and bake Christmas cookies with Kelsia. I didn't give you reign over my kitchen either."

Kate shook her head. "Even if someone did something to make you hate Christmas, do you have to take it out on your own daughter? Kelsia has done nothing to deserve this."

"Keep Kelsia out of this."

"She is your daughter. Is it that difficult to call her your daughter?" Kate removed her gloves and slapped it on the countertop,trying to hide her grimace but failing. "You know, I once thought that you were nice and smart,but now I know the truth about you."

"And that would be?"

"That you are the most selfish,ungrateful and hypocritical bastard,who can't appreciate the wonderful things he's blessed with." she took in a shaky breath. "I just pray that it won't be to late before you understand this."

Kate brushed past him,calling "Kelsia!" as she darted up the stairs.

Kate's light footfalls echoed on the hardwood floor overhead as Fredo looked around the kitchen once more. He waited for the hollow feeling,that seemed to fill him whenever he remembered Sancha to come.

The funny thing was that he felt nothing. Except like the Grinch who stole Christmas.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Kate leaned around the door jamb and watched Kelsia sniffle as she sobbed quietly into her pillow.

Damn that cold hearted man!

"Kelsia," She called softly,hoping she could make this right.

Kelsia sat up at the call,Clutching a well-worn teddy bear to her chest.

She looked balefully at Kate. "You made daddy mad," she accused.

"I did," Kate nodded and stepped into the room. She put her hands in her hoodie pockets. "I'm sorry Kelsia. I made a mistake."

Kelsia hugged her bear tighter,making Kate gaze at it. "Who gave you that?"

"I don't know. It's has always been in my room."

Kate perched on the side of the bed;Kelsia an arm-length away from her.

"Do you regret going out with me today?"

"No." She said softly. "I enjoyed every minute I spent with you. Why do you ask?

"I made daddy shout at you." She made a small sniffling sound. "You should be angry with me too."

"No,dear. I am not angry with you."

Azure blue eyes gazed up at Kate uncertainly. "Really?"

"Yes." Kate smiled. "Your dad was just being a dick-head."

"What's a dick-head?"

Kate bit back a laugh. "Someone who's being a jerk. But don't call him that to his face, he might go..." She made a funny face,which had Kelsia giggling.

Kate laughed too. Scooting closer  to Kelsia so there was no space between them anymore, Kate placed a tentative hand on Kelsia's shoulder. To her relief,Kelsia snuggled closer.

"Don't ever doubt that I don't like you or enjoy our time together today,because I did. And if you want,we could try something else together tomorrow after church."

"We don't go to church."

"Don't you want to go?"

Kelsia looked up,then nodded. "Okay. But we have to get back home before daddy does."

"Okay."

They fell silent,enjoying each others embrace. Just when Kate thought that Kelsia fell asleep already, she spoke up.

"Can you tell me a story? Rosa,my first nanny,used to read me one when I was three."

Kate didn't even want to know what happened to Rosa,so she didn't ask. Instead, she dropped a kiss on Kelsia's head and began stroking her soft hair.

Her heart was filled with so much love and peace that she felt as if it would burst.

So this is how being a mother feels like?

"Kate,are you asleep?"

"No." Kate dropped another kiss on her head. "I would tell you a story my mother once told me."

"What is it about?"

"The beauty and the beast."

Kate felt Kelsia's smile as she snuggled more closer to her. She found herself smiling too.

"Once upon a time..."